Natural gas only emits slightly less carbon than petro fuels (HCN, 2/20/12, “Between energy nirvana and hot air”). Its use will not retard climate change already in effect and will worsen its consequences. Releasing natural gas from the earth is energy-intensive. Shipping liquid natural gas is still one of the most perilous of human endeavors. It’s a non-solution.
The president obviously has no long-term energy policy in mind. His provisions for alternative energy from the beginning were spare, as was the stimulus package in which they were wrapped. He’s just a city boy who turns on the air-conditioning or heater as needed, and consistently looks for the easy way out. Mr. President, when it comes to climate change, there is no easy way out.
Robert Jacobson
Tucson, Arizona
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Natural gas: a non-solution.
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